The Widow of Willowheart..........one

She had begged the Pastor of the Willowheart church to allow her attendance on Sundays. The hard nosed Pastor John Saylen refused her at first because of her sinful act...witnessed by two members. He suddenly changed his mind when he saw a ray of colored morning sunlight drape over his cherry wood pulpit....he took it as a sign from God to allow her in some manner to attend services.

He hadn't realized that the storm...the night before had felled a walnut tree that had always blocked the sun. As he followed her down the church steps that morning...he noticed the tree had fallen. He had given his word to her...he could not change his decision.

The Pastor looked all around to make sure no one else was near and said to her,"Widow Hessen...(She tuned to face him and lifted her black lace veil ).....I was mistaken....yet...perhaps a way can be made if you continue your husband's generous tithes to the church." Widow Hessen looked down and softly said,"Of course...I had planned to give no less than before." The Pastor with a very serious look on his face...said,"Your presence could interfere with the services...therefore...you must be veiled in the corner of the balcony and be monitored by the Deacons."

Widow Hessen kept her head downward and weakly said,"I will pay for draping the corner balcony and I don't mind being monitored." Pastor Saylen raised an eyebrow and said,"Well....that is settled then....I shall send a bill for the material and workmanship." Widow Hessen agreed and the Pastor lastly said to her,"You must be the first to enter on Sunday and the last to leave....you will be considered the least of our congregation." The widow thanked him for his grace.

Widow Hessen was helped into her carriage by her negro driver, Washington Crowe. He had been with the family for years. Sarah Hessen was thirty one years old. Her husband, Wilhelm Hessen was twice her age. He had made a fortune in foreign exports of farming equipment. He died of a heart attack when more than half of his wealth was lost in the stock market crash in 1929. Sarah was left with a more than abundant allowance in her trust account for living.

She did however release three servants...only retaining Washington Crowe and the maid, Gretchen Voglin. Washington lived in an apartment above the barn and Gretchen lived in the guest house. Sarah lived in the 12 bedroom mansion all by herself because she treasured her privacy.

Sarah, her servants and mansion were far out of place in the farming community of Willowheart, Indiana. Sarah was petite at five feet four inches tall. Her shoulder length black hair...always tied in bows or buns was many times...mostly covered by hats or scarfs from Europe. She loved dresses that fit her curves and colors that would bring out the sapphire blue of her eyes. She would often wear silk and lace gloves that of course would match her tiny beaded or chain mesh purses. Her shoes and boots always came from England....she loved pumps!

There were a few women in the town of Willowheart that had a few things in common with Sarah...but...most were farmers wives. The women of the church would often whisper their gossip about Sarah and how she hooked old Wilhelm Hessen with her fancy feminine fingers.

If they had known that Wilhelm met her in a New York brothel....they would have cackled themselves into a frenzy of fluttering hat feathers! The townsfolk thought Sarah was from a long gone wealthy family whose name, Harrovin was engraved on a circle of tombstones of a graveyard that she and Wilhelm walked by while on vacation in Virginia.

Sarah loved going to church. She loved dressing her best and listening to the beautiful singing. She felt something in church...a peace....a freedom....a bliss that was almost never there in her past life. It wasn't the people, the worship, the preaching or even God.....she loved the building...the stained glass...the echo of voices and the smell of the candles. Sarah couldn't stand the thought of not going to church on Sundays.

She was devastated when Pastor Saylen and two Deacons came to tell her she was banned from the church. The pastor explained that two of the church women had gone to Sarah's residence on a Monday to collect clothing for the poor. They had passed Washington and Gretchen on their way and Gretchen had told them that the front door knob was broken. They were instructed to use the side entrance to the ball room by the rose garden.

When the ladies arrived at the mansion....they did as Gretchen instructed and walked around to the side of the house. "One of the ladies stopped and gasped...almost fainting" said the Pastor. The Pastor then said,"The poor woman could only point and tremble from what she saw!"